The present invention relates generally to monitoring systems and, more particularly, is directed to systems directed to the monitoring of a child.
Often a child will become separated from a supervising individual. The separation of a child and a supervising individual can pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of the child. As a consequence, there exists a demand for a child protection system which aids in preventing a child from being separated from his/her guardian.
Accordingly, child monitoring systems are well-known and are commonly used in the art to monitor the location of a child.
One type of child monitoring system operates as a radio beacon detector which monitors the separation distance between a guardian and a child. If the distance between the guardian and the child exceeds a predetermined range, an alarm condition is established.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,240 to N. B. Traxler, which patent is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a child monitor system that transmits and receives signals comprising a master unit and a remote unit, wherein a separation distance between the master unit and remote unit is continuously monitored and an alarm is activated on the master unit when no signal is received from the remote unit for at least a time longer than a preset interval. If the separation distance between the master and remote unit is exceeded for a time longer than a preset time interval, the remote unit activates an alarm attached to the remote unit. The master unit may also be used to activate manually the remote unit's alarm. A pin or key arrangement is provided that ensures that the remote unit is not deactivated without interfacing with the master unit.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,593 to M. Hughes et al, which patent is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a child proximity detection unit that includes two transceivers which communicate messages with one another.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,074 to M. D. White, which patent is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a child finder that basically consists of a transmitter which is concealingly attachable to a child's body and which sends a signal to a conventional receiver so that the child's location can be continually monitored. The transmitter will typically be carried in an article of jewelry, such as a watch, bracelet, ring, or the like, and will use a special on/off switch which allows the transmitter to be activated only when the jewelry is being worn by the child. The switch includes a reciprocal push button which closes the transmitter's electrical circuit when depressed, and the button is spring-biasedly moved away from electrical contact with the transmitter's circuit when the article of jewelry is not being worn. To protect against inadvertent partial movement of the button which could break electrical contact thus deactivating the transmitter an electrical contact surface of the button is provided with an upwardly extending electrically conductive spring finger which maintains continual electrical contact irrespective of temporary and inadvertent reciprocal movement of the push button. When the push button is totally depressed, the spring finger recedes into a provided groove on the electrical contact surface of the button so as to prevent the finger from causing interference between the primary electrical contact surfaces.
Another type of child monitoring system operates as a remote controlled device which alarms passersby of the separation of a guardian and a child. Specifically, the guardian typically has a transmitter which, when activated, sends out an encoded radio signal. The child is typically wearing a monitoring unit which detects the encoded radio signal and, in turn, activates a loud siren. The siren notifies passerbys that the child has been separated from the parent and/or that the child is accompanying an unauthorized individual.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,147 to L. Chek et al., which patent is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a system for monitoring the activity of a child comprising a monitoring and control means for transmitting at least one system-enabling signal and for receiving audio signals; and a child-mountable means for transmitting in response to the receipt of at least one of said system-enabling signals any audio detected in the immediate proximity to said child.
Other patents of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,460 to Inventor Sallen et al. which issued on Aug. 26, 1997, U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,459 to Inventor Belcher which issued on Aug. 26, 1997, U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,259 to Inventor Musa which issued on Sep. 17, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,574 to Inventor Forte-Pathroff which issued on Jun. 13, 1995 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,254 to Inventor Kah, Jr. which issued on Oct. 18, 1994, all of which patents are hereby incorporated by reference.
Child monitoring systems as described above typically suffer from at least one of the following drawbacks.
As a first drawback, child monitoring devices are typically constructed as a bracelet or belt which can be easily fit onto and removed off of a child. Accordingly, it has been found that any unauthorized adult can easily remove the device from the child and thereby eliminate its usefulness.
As a second drawback, child monitoring devices are typically remotely controlled using radio frequency signals. Accordingly, it has been found that radio frequency signals have a limited range and thereby restrict the use of such a device to those instances in which the child is relatively close to the guardian.